Mysterious no-start and misbehaving tachometer

[turf'd]

So I've had an interesting problem of late. Every once and a while, when I go to start Bork, everything electrical goes okay (glow plugs cycle, radio, lights, etc.) but when I turn the key the final bit nothing happens. There's no sound of the starter motor turning, nothing, just silence. (And cold sweat!)

It doesn't seem to matter if I've just driven it or not (it happened after I'd been driving for 3 hours and stopped the engine for 5 minutes only). I can sit there and keep turning the key, but still nothing happens.

The only solution seems to be putting it in gear and pushing it a bit (not easy), then putting it back in park and trying again. It generally does the trick, if not after the first go, then the second.

I've been told it's that the starter motor has a 'dead spot', and that when you put it in gear and move the van, it changes the position the starter is in, to a non-'dead spot' I assume. Has anyone else had this problem? Do I need a new starter motor? Where can I buy one?

Also, and this is new and only happened twice, the tachometer went a little loopy. I started the van and the tachometer just seemed to go crazy. It was reading 0 when idling, and fluctuating all over the place. After a few minutes it stopped however, and went back to normal.

Is there some kind of loose connection that I could look at and fix, or is this indicative of something more serious?

As always, thanks for any advice and input!

[loki]

this is a common issue from what I have seen here on the forums. the switch in your shifter is likely going, it will not allow the starter to turn over if it doesn't think that the shifter is in park.

[jaggedfish]

You are likely wasting energy pushing.... this action will not spin your starter motor unless the throw bearing has jammed it in the starting position. Normally the starter should be entirely disengaged from the flywheel thus will not spin with the motor.

Likely as I have had the "dead zone" too it is just a matter of shifting out of park and back again.... no pushing!

[Manitoba Delica]

I've had this same issue. I was told it was the switch sticking, but that he unti was on the outside of the trans.. visible from the drver side. I tried oiling it with no luck... This problem only occurs if I try to restart the vehicle shortly after running it. It never occurs if it sits for more than an hour, and is easily remedied by turning on the van shifting to neutral and back to park. I've never had it not start after a quick shift. I admit, I was choked when it first happened.... Hopefully it doesn't progress into something worse.....

[robinimpey]

I have this same issue and just wiggle the shifter a bit and away it goes.

Has anyone pulled this apart and either cleaned or replaced this switch? A minor inconvenience...........unless it completely craps out some day.

[39Ronin]

I had a similar series of events except I went a little further and pulled out the starter and took the solenoid apart as it was sticking, all gummed up inside. I cleaned it and put it all back together and it starts every time now.

[jaggedfish]

The starter solenoid is another culprit as robinimpey mentions and the step 2 of the diagnosis...

If the shifter switch solution doesn't result in cranking then try hitting (no too hard) the starter motor with a hammer or tire iron while turning the key (can be done single handedly in a Deli). If the starter starts to crank, it's likey the solenoid sticking.

[turf'd]

It sounds like the switch is the problem. And starting it after only a few minutes of being off seems to be when it occurs the most. I'll have to get it looked at next time I take it in to the shop.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Anyone know about tachometers?

Cheers!

[BadgeStar]

.....Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Anyone know about tachometers? ....

There is a wire that connects to the top of the injector pump with a 'spade' type connector, this wire is the feed to the tacho. Make sure it is connected properly and not loose.
I had a problem with a mal-functioning tacho and found that connector was loose.

Barry.

[turf'd]

I think I spoke too soon when I said it was the switch. Last night tried to start it after it'd sat for perhaps an hour and a half, there was nothing. The electrical fired up as usual, but no amount of fiddling with the shifter, changing gears, or similar malarky had any affect. I heard the starter motor fire up once, but only for just over a second, then it was back to the nothing.

So is the process of cleaning out the starter solonoid difficult? Is there anything major that I should know before I attempt it? How gummed up does it need to be before it needs to be replaced?

Thanks

[turf'd]

Mystery solved!

The solenoid is completely wrecked. The nut that holds the connecting wire from the battery was gone, the bolt was completely corroded (except the last 3 threads!) by the current arcing through (hence why I was seeing sparks when I started the van).

That bolt going into the solenoid was wobbly. The connection is wrecked, so now I need to replace the solenoid.

Anyone know if that solenoid is an easy thing to find? Anyone know any part sources that would stock them? Anyone know the part number?

Cheers

[turf'd]

Problem has been fixed.

Got a new starter/solenoid, installed it, and everything's running great now. And I've got an extra starter motor now...

It certainly sounds different now, but whether that's from the starter being a slightly different model (cold weather vs. regular, if I even had the cold weather one to begin with...) or the fact that all of the current is going into the battery rather than sparking the solenoid into oblivion is a mystery.